1 in 2 British workers have admitted they won’t buy a single gift for any of their colleagues this Christmas. A survey by market research comparison site SurveyCompare has found 52% of people in full or part-time employment won’t be buying a gift for anyone they work with this year.

In contrast when asked how much they will spend on gifts for family members only 4% of workers said they won’t be spending anything. 1 in 5 respondents said the same about gifts for their friends.

Is your office having a quiet one this year or is Secret Santa in full swing this year?

36% of Brits in full or part-time employment have even taken on extra work in the months leading up to Christmas to help cover the cost of the festive season.

A SurveyCompare spokesperson said: “It is a shame that so many people won’t be buying presents for their colleagues this Christmas.”

“A lot of the people who use our site at this time of year are in full or part-time employment, but are looking for an easy and risk free way to earn a little extra money, or some gift vouchers, that will help them through the festive period.”

These findings come after data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) showed prices rose four times faster than wages in the three months to August 2013.

The recent energy and fuel prices are also squeezing people’s living standards as we approach this expensive time of year.

Alex Vasili, a Marketing Executive from London said, “This year I won’t be buying any gifts for my colleagues. Like many people I am finding the winter months the trickiest to keep above the red.”

“Unfortunately finding the money to make this a special Christmas for my family is hard enough, let alone being able to shell out more money for gifts for those that I work with.”

Half of all the workers who responded to the survey admitted they are worried about the cost of Christmas, and 48% said they feel pressured to spend more than they can afford at Christmas by influences including television adverts and a desire to keep up with family and friends.

SurveyCompare surveyed more than 1,000 people from across the United Kingdom.

Are business in the Hastings and Rother area bucking the trend? Let us know what’s going on in your office this year